Top Three Reasons to take a Lake Eyre Flight

Author:  Chloe Cavalier

In outback Australia, there is a giant salt lake known as Lake Eyre.

This lake is located in outback South Australia, approximately 670 kilometres north east of the city of Adelaide, and about 200 kilometres east of the underground mining town of Coober Pedy. The lake is usually a massive dry salt pan, that glistens blinding white under the sun. However, several times each century it fills with water and bursts to life.

In 2011, Lake Eyre has filled with water following record rains in Queensland and the Northern Territory. For most of the time, Lake Eyre is a large, dry salt lake, which extends further than the eye can see. It's 144 kilometres long and over 70 kilometres wide. When you stand on its shore, the sun beats down on the salt crust and it looks like you\'re standing next to a giant snowfield.

Lake Eyre is much like Death Valley in the United States. It's 15 metres below sea-level at its lowest point. It's home to very unique plants and animals.

For most of the time, it's hellishly hot and dry. However, 3 or 4 times every hundred years, the lake fills with water following above average rainfall in the Northern Territory and Queensland.
When this happens, pelicans and other waterbirds fly inland in their hundreds of thousands and set up massive breeding colonies on the lake. Fish also breed in the lake, and the birds feed off these fish.

To visit Lake Eyre ordinarily, you'll need a 4WD and experience in off-road, remote area driving. Alternatively, you can take a Lake Eyre Flight.


Flights over the lake have become extremely popular over the last two years (2010-2011) as the lake has filled with water and burst to life. A flight from Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide to Lake Eyre is a solution for those who don't have either a 4WD or the time to spare.

Flights to Lake Eyre range from 1-6 days, depending on your choice of schedule.
Perhaps the best reason to take a flight over Lake Eyre is that you really get to appreciate just how big the lake is.

You can take short, 1-2 hour scenic Lake Eyre flight from William Creek (famous for it\'s great outback pub), from Marree (where the famous Birdsville and Oodnadatta Tracks begin) or from Coober Pedy (the incredible underground opal mining town). Short scenic flights start from as little as $250 per person from William Creek, via Wrights Air.

A flight over the lake will let you take some incredible photos, and you\'ll see many of the large bird breeding colonies.

And of course, if you\'re into photography or birdwatching, then a flight over the lake is especially for you. As we've said above, Lake Eyre changes colour from pink to blue to green - all in a matter of moments. You'll see all of these amazing changes during a flight.

However, the lake won't have water in it forever! As the rains have slowed, the water will evaporate some time in 2012. We reckon you should take a flight over the lake sometime in 2011 to see the lake at its best.

This doesn't mean you can't take a flight over the lake when it hasn't got water in it! Lake Eyre flights are available at William Creek and Marree all the time. It simply means that the lake won't have water in it if you plan to go later on.

With or without water, we recommend that you visit Australia's largest lake, Lake Eyre, and take a flight over this incredible outback wonder.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/top-three-reasons-to-take-a-lake-eyre-flight-4974657.html

About the Author
Can you get paid to travel and make a living online? Chloe Cavalier is on a mission to find out. Chloe's travel writing has been featured in print, inflight magazines and online. She's recognised as an uncommon traveller, who sniffs out unique cultural and historical insights to share with her readers.